The Seventh Bride
by Amerath's Destiny
Summary: Through a strange twist of fate, Rey suddenly finds herself married to the Marquess of the Reach, a mysterious man who she has never seen and whose name she has never learned. All she knows is this: the Marquess has been married six times before, and each time, the dragon Kylo Ren has devoured his wife within a year of their marriage. Medieval/Fairytale AU.
1. The Sands of Jakku

"One _quarter_ portion."

Rey gritted her teeth as Unkar Plutt swept her spoils for the day - a set of iron greaves, a pauldron emblazoned with the sigil of House Calrissian in blue and green, a single metal gauntlet for the right hand, and the front portion of a breastplate, only slightly dented - off the counter and into the arms of one of his goons. In return, he dumped the appropriate amount of flour into her extended burlap sack, along with two slices of dried and salted meat that she knew tasted distinctly like wood chips caked in sand. He pointedly ignored her sullen look, instead shouting for the next person in the long line behind Rey to approach.

On a different day, Rey might have fought him on it. Her spoils were worth a portion and a half for the lot at the very least, especially considering that most of the pieces were in good repair, if not in matching sets. Iron was more valuable than gold in Jakku, she should have _at least_ been able to feed herself for the day with what she had brought back.

But Unkar Plutt was in a _mood_ that day - she had already seen him send two of his apprentices away without supper that day, and she wasn't ready to risk what little he had been willing to give her.

Rey hefted the disparagingly light sack over her shoulder. She spared only a single, longing glance at the warehouse behind Plutt's stall; the one she knew to be filled to the brim not just with flour and old, salted meat, but also with dried fruits, nuts, assorted grains, and candies. Fresh food was even imported occasionally, venison and mutton and beef and vegetables, though of course such delicacies were reserved for the chief blacksmith alone. He was far too cheap to allow his dozens of apprentices - the ones who found the iron and steel that was re-shaped into fine armor, who shod horses and refined the metal, who did almost _all_ of the work - to eat well.

Rey had tried to sneak into the warehouse once when she was young, at a time when her hunger and foolishness had outweighed her common sense. One of the guards Plutt employed to protect his stock had caught her before she could steal so much as a cube of sugar and had given Rey the beating of her life. He had broken her arm in the encounter, and little Rey had nearly starved during the month it took to heal. With a heavy sigh, she turned her back on the warehouse.

She found Falcon where she had tied him to a post near the edge of town. The old, grey gelding was stretched to the end of his tether, his neck extended out as he reached for a fellow scavenger sitting pointedly just out of reach, his teeth clicking together empty just inches away from Teedo's back.

" _No_ ," she told him pointedly, and Falcon jerked back to his full height and blinked angelically at her. As she approached to untie his reins, he lipped softly at the scarf wrapped around her neck and face, the very picture of innocence. Rey rolled her eyes and patted his neck. The dust cloud that arose from his flank as he shook himself off revealed the paler dapples that covered his hide. The dirt got into everything in Jakku, covering everything in a fine layer of brown.

She made a mental note to give him an extra brushing once she returned home tonight, like she did every night. He made no protest as Rey swung into his saddle. "Looks like we're going hungry again tonight," she muttered to him, and Falcon shook his head, tugging on his reins. Rey had been hungrier before - besides, if they made good time back to her hut, they would arrive before sunset, and the little desert lizards would be out and about in the cooler hours before night fell. Rey was a decent shot with a bow; maybe she could hit one of the larger ones and cook it over the fire.

Rey tapped her heels into Falcon's sides and clicked her tongue at the thought, and once more, the two were off.

When it came to navigating the deserts of Jakku - or anywhere, really - there was no better horse than Falcon. He was far from a thoroughbred, but Rey preferred the cantankerous gelding to horse royalty any day. He was reliable, he was loyal, and he would stride through old battlefields littered with ancient skeletons, or along narrow cliffs with steep drops, or even past recently dead bodies, the blood still staining the sand, without batting an eye.

On top of that, his temper made him a bit of a legend around Niima Outpost, and the other apprentices avoided him when they could. Rey knew she could leave her finds for the day near him, and Falcon would take a chunk out of anyone who wandered too close to it out of principle, if not fidelity.

The two skirted Kelvin Ravine, to the north of town, Falcon's hooves kicking up a layer of sand as he picked up his pace from a trot into a canter. The Ravine was known for being the site of a battle waged in Jakku several centuries before - Rey couldn't remember which. A great _many_ battles had been fought in the fief over the years; she couldn't be bothered to remember which battlefield corresponded with which war.

Once, Jakku had been famed for its iron mines, and had been the source of nearly every reputable armorer's steel. Dozens of battles were fought for control of the mines over the years, until the unification of the kingdom had brought an end to the bloody battles in the time of the warlords. The iron was shipped all over the kingdom, and lords and kings alike bragged about their Jakku Steel armor and swords.

That is, until the iron mines had suddenly dried up, and Jakku was left destitute. Without its largest source of revenue - it's _only_ source of revenue, really - it quickly became one of the poorest fiefs in the kingdom, and the people fled it in exodus.

It was Unkar Plutt, a blacksmith who had once forged beautiful weapons with Jakku Steel, that had the ingenious idea that saved them, supposedly - most of the bodies had been left behind, still in their armor, after all those old battles. The armor could be re-used - the dents hammered out, or melted down for raw steel to make new items. In this way, the economy could be revived, and Jakku would flourish once again.

Well, 'flourish' was a strong word - the residents would be able to _survive_ , at least. And because this was Plutt, he stood to profit the most. He hired on dozens of apprentices - scavengers, more like - to ride into the perilous deserts of Jakku to retrieve the old armor, and in return, he would feed them and teach them the basics of the blacksmith's trade.

Thus Jakku had existed since before Rey was born and would continue until long after she had died. Like every other scavenger in Jakku, she would risk life and limb to ride out into the desert to find Plutt's steel, and would continue to do so until the day she ran out of luck.

It wasn't all bad, though, she thought as she dismounted Falcon just outside of her home. Her hut was modified from an old military barracks - an ancient, empty building Rey had repaired herself. It only had a single room, but it was large - the perfect place for a girl and her horse to live. She had sectioned it off years ago - a stable in the front half and her living space through a small gate to the back. The sound of Falcon munching hay or snorting on the other side of the building sent her to sleep more surely than any lullaby. She had a roof over her head, a reliable well, and a source of food, even if Plutt was prone to withholding from time to time.

" _Rey!"_

And good friends, of course. Rey grinned and poked her head out of the large, double doors that opened into her home. There, riding toward her at a trot on his great white stallion, was Finn, her closest friend and confidante.

A few years ago, Rey never would have imagined having a companion like Finn. Her early life was spent alone - first under Plutt's flabby, fatty wing, then on her own in the old barracks. She hadn't thought she needed anyone else - she could wait here, until her family returned for her, and then _they_ would be all she needed. She hadn't even recognized that she was lonely.

It was only a couple of years ago that Finn had come into her life, riding that white stallion with the crossed eyes around in circles around town, the poor horse too stupid to realize it was going nowhere. Rey had pointed him in the right direction of the little river hamlet he was looking for, a village that was a whole fief over - Rey still didn't know how he had managed to get so lost - but by that point, the sun was already kissing the horizon, and Finn had followed her home like a lost pup, looking for a place to stay the night. She remembered thinking that she should have chased him away with her staff.

To this day, she was so, _so_ glad she hadn't.

Finn had left in the morning with a cheery grin, and Rey had stared at the compressed pile of hay he had slept on for several minutes, confused by the strange encounter, before going about her day.

But barely a week later, he had shown up again on her doorstep with that same dopey smile and a sack of vegetables. The only reason she let him stay was because he had food, and he had settled himself by her hearth to share a meal. "To thank you for your help last week," he had told her.

He ended up staying long past the sun set, and Rey had allowed him to stay in the hay pile he had slept in last time. He showed up again the next week, and then the next, and the week after, as well. His visits increased in frequency until he was showing up on her doorstep nearly every night, always with a small sack of food to share and a cheery grin, until Rey found she didn't _want_ to chase him away anymore. Suddenly, she couldn't imagine a day where he wouldn't come visit, a time when they wouldn' sit by the hearth, sharing stories and laughing. Finn had become a part of her life - he had gained her companionship, and later her trust, and he had it before she even realized she had given it, as evidenced by the fact that she had given him an actual pallet to sleep on and had begun to expect his visits. Finally, she gave in, and just started inviting him to her home after he worked.

But Finn couldn't be there all the time - as a farmhand, he worked long hours during harvesting and planting seasons, and since he lived a fief over, there were days he couldn't return to the cozy little home they had created together. Visiting him was difficult - he lived in a house on the farm, packed to the brim with other workers during the busy season, though most returned to their families in the nearby village when the fields lay fallow. Not only was there no room for her to stay, but by the time he returned, it was late at night, and he was often too exhausted for idle chatting.

Rey hadn't expected to see him for a few weeks - winter was fast approaching, not that one could tell in the dry desert heat, but soon the river that ran through the farming village would crest the banks and flood the fields, marking the beginning of the wet season. All of the crops had to be harvested before that happened - but afterwards, there would be months of peace, in which Finn could visit every day while they waited for the river to recede, happy to contribute to and share a meal with her.

As Finn approached, Rey raised her hand to wave at him, the smile still plastered across her face - and froze. The white stallion he rode upon was followed closely behind by a second horse, a small but hardy-looking cream-colored horse with patches of brown so bright they were nearly orange. It was led along by a lead line tied to the saddle horn.

But it wasn't the horse that worried her, though that was certainly unusual - it was the second figure riding double with Finn, an arm wrapped around his waist to keep himself balanced on the horse's broad back.

"Rey!" Finn repeated her name as he swung his leg over Storm's back and slid to the ground. He strode over and wrapped his arms around her in a quick hug, oblivious to how stiff her form was. He pulled back after a moment, still smiling at her. "Sorry for stopping by unexpectedly," he said, though she doubted he was - she was used to Finn stopping by without any prior warning, though not during this time of year. "Something came up, so I had to come visit."

"Finn," Rey greeted him coolly. Her chill gaze turned to the second figure, who hopped off of Storm's back with an easy grace that spoke of years of professionally trained horsemanship. "Who's your friend?"

"This is - "

"Poe Dameron, knight of Coruscant and emissary of Her Majesty, Queen Leia Organa," the stranger introduced himself with a smile, his teeth very white against his tanned skin. He bowed with an elaborate flourish. "I'm traveling through the Reach on official business for the Crown."

"From _Coruscant_ , Rey," Finn repeated, his eyes wide and excited. "You should _hear_ the stories he has to tell."

"I'm sure he can spin quite the tale," Rey said dryly. Poe reached for her hand, no doubt to lay a kiss across her knuckles like a true courtier, but Rey jerked it away and laced her fingers behind her back before he had a chance.

She eyed him up and down warily. Finn's stranger certainly was handsome, with dark, windswept hair pushed back from his brow and a jawline strong enough to cut glass. A light stubble covered his cheeks, as if he hadn't seen a razor in a couple of days, but he made it seem intentional. His eyes sparkled with intelligence and wit - but Rey knew that attractive and wiley were often a dangerous combination.

Finn, however, was much more trusting, and always had been. He was quick to smile and quick to love, which made him easy prey for heralds - or smooth strangers with blinding smiles and stories of adventures from the capitol. Rey had always been the wary one, the one who didn't trust, the one who questioned identities and motivations.

But if Rey had it her way, she'd never trust anyone, never let anyone into her life. The only reason Finn had wormed his way into her heart was because he was one of the purest people she had ever met - there was no way that level of kind, innocent _goodness_ could be feigned. He was the one that reminded her that not everyone had an ulterior motive, than not every starving orphan begging for scraps had a knife hidden in their ragged clothes - only most of them. He was her better half, in a sense - but she was the half that kept him from getting killed.

"Rey," she finally introduced herself, though she kept her hands to herself and glared as she did so. "Tell me, Finn," she asked, "What brings _Sir_ Dameron, one of the queen's own knights, to my humble doorstep?"

If Poe heard the skepticism in her voice, he gave no sign of it. "Call me Poe," he chirped cheerily. "My new friend here tells me you're good with animals. I've been having trouble with my mount for the past couple of days. I don't know how to describe it, but her gait seems _off_. It might be nothing - but it'd give me some peace of mind to know it's something I don't have to worry about."

Rey approached the mare carefully, unhooking her lead line from Storm's saddle. She pricked her ears forward at Rey's approach, and Rey tugged her forward gently. Obediently, she stepped forward a couple of paces, and sure enough, something about the way she walked didn't sit right with Rey. "This is her first time in the desert, isn't it?" she asked. "Not used to the sand?"

Poe nodded. "It's mostly fields outside of Coruscant. She hasn't seen much rough terrain before, but she's taken to it remarkably well. Well, until recently, at least."

"And you've been picking her hooves?"

"Of course."

Rey stroked a large, orange patch on the mare's cheek, and she nuzzled into Rey's shoulder, lipping at the fabric of her shirt. Rey turned her head to blow into her nostril, a silly horse greeting she had picked up from Falcon years ago, and the mare blew a puff of air back at her, much to Rey's delight.

She paused for a moment, glancing between Poe and the horse in front of her. She was reluctant to let Poe anywhere near her home, let alone inside of it. Strangers were not to be trusted. But horses - horses were good. Horses didn't hurt people for their own gain - only if they were scared or upset or angry. Horses didn't go behind your back, horses didn't betray you, horses didn't leave you behind. She couldn't let one that was so sweet remain in distress.

But her rider…

"I have food," Poe offered. "The Lord and Lady of the last fief I visited gave me far too much. I'd be happy to give you some in exchange for your help."

Rey immediately perked up. "Oh, good," she replied, leading the horse back to her barn. "Come on inside, and we'll take a look and find out what's wrong." Finn plucked up Storm's reins and shot Poe a grin when he thought Rey wasn't looking. She only rolled her eyes in response.

"What's her name?" she asked as led the horse into one of the small stalls she had constructed inside. "Your horse, I mean."

"BB-8," Poe replied.

Rey paused from untacking the mare, turning to stare at Poe. _"BB-8?"_

Poe shrugged with an easy smile. "Foaling season tends to get busy at the royal stables," he replied by way of explanation, "but we've never seen as wild a day as when she was born. By the time the last one was born, they were so tired of thinking up names that they just named her 'Baby Eight'. I call her BB-8, or BB for short." BB snorted in agreement.

"Stars save me from owners and the stupid names they give their horses," Rey muttered, before returning to lightening BB's load. She spared a quick glance into Poe's saddlebags, searching for anything suspicious, but all she could see were clothes, letters, and a canteen of water. She turned to hook the saddlebags over the edge of the stall, and -

"Hey!" Poe paused in his survey of Falcon. The old gelding's eyes were sharp on the newcomer, though Poe remained out of range of his teeth. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she warned Poe. "He bites."

"He does," Finn confirmed from where he was brushing Storm down. "I have the scars to prove it."

"It'll be fine," Poe dismissed them, approaching Falcon with his hand leading. Falcon's ears pricked up as Poe stepped closer, no doubt waiting until he was close enough that he could nip at something _really_ painful. _Here we go,_ Rey thought as Falcon stretched his neck out -

\- only to drag his tongue through Poe's hair, grazing at the dark curls atop his head. Poe laughed and patted his neck. Slowly, the tension slid out of Rey. She may not have trusted Poe - but horses had a good sense of people. If Falcon thought Poe wasn't dangerous, then Rey could believe that his intentions were good - or, at least, they weren't bad. "I've never seen him do that," Rey admitted.

"I like horses," Poe replied, "so I want them to like me. That generally means that I'm willing to cheat a bit to get that to happen." He winked back at Rey and produced a sugar cube from his pocket, which Falcon immediately gobbled up with gusto. "Any luck with BB?"

"Working on it," Rey replied, turning back to the horse. Now that she didn't have to worry about Poe, she could see the mare was visibly distressed. Though her eyes were bright and focused, she kept shifting from hoof to hoof, almost as if she was nervous, though BB didn't strike her as a nervous horse.

"Hey there, sweet thing," Rey crooned to the horse as she patted her soothingly, running her hands down her front legs. Yes, she could definitely feel BB's discomfort, the pain radiating outwards from just beneath her fingertips. Gently, she plucked BB's hoof from the ground to take a peek at her hoof.

"That's the problem," she said decisively, and Poe peeked his head over the wall from where he had been petting Falcon.

"What is?" he asked, trying to see what Rey was looking at.

"When was the last time she was shod?"

"A few days ago, in Sullust." Rey only barely managed to keep from laughing as soon as he spoke. "She's new to horseshoes, since she never needed them before we left Coruscant. I would have preferred to use a royal farrier, but we've been on the road, and he offered us a good price for high-quality shoes."

"I know exactly who you're talking about," Rey replied with a scowl. "He uses quality steel, but he doesn't know a thing about horses or shoeing them. I can't believe he's still in business." She waved Poe into the stall. "Take a look - the shoe's too small." She dragged her fingernail along the space between the edge of the horseshoe and the outside of her hoof, and BB fidgeted in her grasp before Rey set her leg down. "With a shoe that's too small, she's going to wobble, and it's easier to pick up stray stones - not to mention easier to hurt herself on them. No wonder she's walking funny."

"And here I was thinking she just had a wild night with that stallion down by the river village. At least now I know I don't have to worry about any BB-9's." At that, Rey finally cracked a smile at him, and Poe's grin seemed all the more brilliant, even with the coating of horse slobber in his hair. "In all seriousness, is there anything you can do to help? Any reliable farriers you might know in Jakku?"

"I can do you one better," Rey replied, heading over to her workbench to grab her pliers and hammer. "I'll re-shoe her for you, the right way - no extra cost. Her hooves don't look too much smaller than Falcon's; I think I can re-shape them to fit her."

Poe's eyebrows furrowed. "Are you a farrier?"

"Blacksmith," Finn corrected. Done with settling Storm in for the night, he walked over to join in on the conversation.

"Like everyone else in Jakku," Rey muttered in agreement, lifting BB's hoof between her knees to pull the nails out of the first shoe. BB tugged her foot away and waltzed toward the other side of the stable. "Finn, come hold her head," Rey turned her head to her friend. "I can't have her trying to conduct a dance lesson in my barn while I'm trying to pull these nails out."

Finally, with Finn holding her head and Poe leaning against her flank to push her toward the wall, BB relaxed enough to let Rey tug the nails out of the first shoe one by one. "There are no farriers in Jakku," Rey explained while she worked. "If there were, they would be driven out immediately. Anything to do with steel or iron is done by the apprentice blacksmiths."

"Not by the blacksmith himself?"

Rey barked out a short, bitter laugh as she set the nails and removed shoe aside and moved onto the next hoof. "No. I've never even seen the head blacksmith lift a hammer." She wondered if he even could - it was a wonder he was even able to walk, considering the layers upon layers of fat on his body.

"It's fine," Finn reassured Poe. "Rey knows what she's doing. She does Storm's shoes, and he's never had a problem."

Finally, all the horseshoes had been pulled from BB's hooves, and Rey walked her up and down the barn a couple of times to check her movement. Sure enough, her gait had evened out, now much more even and balanced than before.

After a couple of rounds, Rey handed her reins off to Finn. "Can you clean her hooves for me?" she asked. "I need to light up the forge so I can re-shape the shoes." Finn nodded and led BB-8 off.

Rey focused on shoveling coal into the forge. "So, Sir Dam - Poe," she corrected herself as she stood, deeming the forge had enough fuel for her purposes. She went in search of her flint to start the fire. "What brings an agent of the Crown to our own personal slice of hell?"

Poe was silent for a long time, long enough for Rey to light the fire and begin pumping the bellows to fan the flames. "Look," she said, "if it's some sort of secret mission for the queen, that's fine, but I need you to - "

"It's not that," Poe interrupted. "I'm _supposed_ to tell you about it - you and everyone else. It's just...not good news."

Rey hesitated for a moment. The nobility getting involved in the lives of the common folk was never good news - and if it was bad news even by those standards, it must have been very worrying indeed. Suddenly, Rey wasn't sure she even wanted to know.

But even if ignorance was bliss, Rey much preferred to prepare for the future than go into a crisis blind. "There is no good news in Jakku. Whatever it is, I'm sure I can handle it. Just tell me."

After a moment's more hesitation, Poe spoke. "The Marquess of the Reach is in the market for a wife."

Rey froze in her work, the first horseshoe halfway extended into the flames. Their conversation caught Finn's attention, who poked his head over the edge of the stall BB was using. "What happened to the last one?"

"Eaten," Poe said grimly. "Swallowed whole by the dragon."

"Again?" Rey whispered.

"Again," he confirmed.

The Marquess of the Reach was a mysterious figure, spoken of in hushed whispers in taverns in every fief in the Reach. While even the lowest of peasants in other regions could tell you cursory details about the High Lords of their home - like that the Naberries of the Slice always inherited through the female line, and there hadn't been a ruling Earl instead of an Earless in generations, or that the Grand Duke or Duchess of the Core was always an Organa and the heir to the throne - the Marquess of the Reach was a complete unknown. Rey had heard that, once, the Reach had been ruled by the Skywalker family, but whether the current lord was a descendant or completely unrelated was another enigma. No one even knew his _name_.

What _was_ known was that he had been married for the first time about five years ago, only for his wife to die about eight months later. Days after her death, the Marquess had demanded another bride, and the lords and ladies of the fiefs of the Reach had produced another noble daughter from their ranks to send to marry the Marquess. All was well - until she also died a little under a year later. The cycle had repeated itself over and over throughout the years - and if what Poe was saying was true, then the Marquess had now been married and widowed six times.

It was the circumstances of their death, as well as those of his demands for a new wife, that made the situation all the more terrifying. The stories told of a dragon who bowed to the Marquess' every whim, who had devoured every single one of his wives, who rampaged and destroyed the villages that were supposed to be under his care if he was not provided with a new bride when the old one was consumed. They said his body was made of the blackness of night between the stars, his wings of shadows brought to life. His teeth were made of the swords of the many knights he had defeated, and his roar preceded a hundred orphan's screams as their parents were taken right before their eyes. Staring into his eyes was supposed to drive even the bravest of men to madness.

 _Kylo Ren._ The dark monster that had terrorized the Reach for more than half a decade.

Rey had seen the wreckage of one of his rampages before. She had been scavenging several miles to the north of Tuanul when the dragon's cry, barely audible from the distance, had reached her ears, shaking the stones beneath her feet and causing even calm, steady Falcon to fidget nervously. The shadow, barely more than a speck, had circled once over the smoking village before turning south over the desert, away from Rey.

It had been poor judgement to investigate, but Rey had been curious - at the time, she had believed the stories of the dragon and the Marquess to be little more than tall tales. But the buildings, burned to the ground in minutes in a fire hotter than she could ever build in her forge, the charred bones, the blood staining the sand were no fairytale - and Rey could imagine nothing, no creature or army, that could do this other than a dragon. The iron from the armor and weapons of the village's warriors had kept her fed for months - but Rey had never returned once it had been picked clean. It had even felt wrong to invade it to scavenge. Tuanul was a graveyard now - and the dead should be allowed to rest undisturbed.

But maybe Poe's arrival was a good thing - perhaps it signaled an imminent change.

"So why _are_ you here?" Rey asked, pulling the first horseshoe out of the forge and bringing it over to the anvil. "Has the queen finally had enough of her subject's terror? Is she organizing an army to kill the dragon?"

"No," Poe replied, and Rey scowled.

"Aren't rulers supposed to protect their subjects?" she demanded. "The queen should have sent the army to deal with the dragon as soon as he began eating people. Why hasn't she done so?"

"Rey," Finn said warningly, "You're speaking about the queen to one of the men that serves her. Watch your tone."

"I won't watch my tone when she's not doing what she's supposed to be doing," Rey shot back hotly.

"The dragon ate her husband," Poe said suddenly, and Rey quieted. "Prince Consort Han Solo was eaten by the dragon, despite her best attempts to save him. The royal army of Coruscant fought against him and lost. I think Her Majesty believes appeasement to be the best solution - if she doesn't give him what he wants, he'll send the dragon to destroy the countryside. There may be deaths this way - but at least she can control how many."

Rey made a disgruntled noise, but didn't argue. "Fine, then," she muttered. "So the queen's going to leave the dragon in peace. What are you doing here, then?"

"As I said, the Marquess is in the market for a wife," Poe replied. "The queen has sent me to find him a new bride."

"Ah," Rey murmured. "Going around to the noble houses to find eligible daughters?"

"Not exactly."

Rey nearly groaned - that phrase was quickly becoming the bane of her existence. "Then what _are_ you doing here?"

"Finding brides for the Marquess is not exactly an easy job," Poe told her, "especially considering the rate he goes through them. The queen has set up a lottery system to decide the next one - any woman in the Reach can enter. The winner will marry the Marquess. The drawing is set for the end of the season."

"Seriously?" Rey grumbled. "A lottery? Aren't the nobles supposed to decide among themselves? That's why we pay their taxes and work their land - so they'll protect us from threats like this. _They're_ the ones that should take the fall. They shouldn't be trying to pass this off on their subjects."

"Normally, I'd agree, as would the queen, I think," Poe replied. "But there's only one unmarried noble lady in the Reach at the current time - Lady Asha of Endor."

"Good. Send her to marry him. Leave the rest of us in peace."

"Rey," Poe said gently, "Lady Asha is _seven."_

That shut her up more effectively than any other explanation. "Oh," she whispered.

"When all this started," Poe continued on, "the Reach had plenty of eligible women. But as soon as a pattern emerged, the lords and ladies of the Reach began arranging matches for their daughter as quickly as possible. No one wants to lose their child - even if they must betroth their daughter while she's still a toddler to save her."

"Right," Rey mumbled, thoroughly chastised.

Then, Poe perked up. "You should enter the lottery, Rey," he suggested.

Rey laughed in his face. "And risk being eaten by a dragon? Thanks, but no."

"No, I'm serious," Poe prodded. "As an incentive, every girl that enters receives a purse of ten gold pieces. Plus, the winner's family receives a nobility title and a place in the queen's court."

For a moment, Rey went serious. The things she could _do_ with ten gold pieces! She could eat for nearly a year on money like that - longer, if she was frugal. A year where she wouldn't be beholden to Plutt, a full year of _freedom_ \- but at what cost? The possibility of being married off and the guarantee of being eaten by a dragon?

It wasn't worth it. She may not have been bedecked in jewels, and she may not have eaten like a queen (or a Marquesa), but she had a steady income. She had a livelihood that left her a much higher chance of survival than gambling with fate.

"No," she told Poe. "No, I don't think so."

Poe nodded in acquiescence. Then, a look of realization washed over his face, and he glanced at Finn before looking back at her. Finn stared at him curiously, paying attention to their conversation once more. "Oh! _Oh._ I get it. I didn't mean to presume. So, you two are…?"

"No!" Rey exclaimed, even as Finn interrupted with a "yes!". Then, they glanced at each other. "Yes," Rey agreed, right as Finn changed his answer to "no". Rey turned to glare at him, and Finn shrugged, his dark face turning an even deeper shade with the force of his blush. He muttered something about BB's hooves being clean before ducking back below the partition.

"It's complicated," Rey told Poe. They had never really discussed it, but Rey wouldn't have been surprised if she and Finn married one day. She couldn't speak for Finn, but it had never been about love on her part. It sounded like a sad, passionless thing to say - but Rey had never expected to marry for love. She hadn't even expected to marry at _all_ , at least, not until her parents returned for her.

But Rey had expected her parents to return years ago, while she was still a child, and she was slowly coming to terms with the fact that the day they came back for her might be a long way off. Would it really be so bad to marry, to have someone to take back with her when they found her? Maybe she didn't hold the wild, passionate love for Finn that was sung about in all the ballads, but she _cared_. Finn was her companion, her partner, and something deep inside of her told her that they should never be apart. She wanted to build a life, and she liked the idea of sharing it with him in some way. They completed each other, and they made each other better.

If that wasn't something to base a marriage off of, she didn't know what was.

"The simple answer is 'not really'," she finally told him, dropping the fourth and final horseshoe to the side to cool. She'd make any final adjustments once they were cold enough to handle and she could measure them against BB's hoof.

Poe nodded along. "I'll accept that," he told her. "I can understand complicated. Still, I'd think about it if I were you - there's a lot of good that can be done with ten gold pieces, especially in the right hands, and the chances of being picked are slim. Word from the capitol is that we've already had almost a thousand entrants."

 _A thousand entrants,_ Rey thought. _Ten thousand gold pieces. What a waste._ She would never understand how the nobility could afford to live in such excess. "I'll consider it," she told Poe, just to placate him. Truthfully, even one in a thousand was too much of a risk for her when it came to dragons, even for the reward being offered.

Thankfully, BB took better to putting the horseshoes _on_ than she did taking them _off_. She seemed to understand on some level that Rey knew what she was doing, unlike the farrier who had handled her before, and stood still as Rey measured and filed and reshaped and nailed, complacent as Rey constantly picked her hoof up only to set it back down again. Poe and Finn watched as she worked, ready to help hold the mare still if needed, but it was unnecessary. By the time the first shoe was on and the nails filed down, Rey chased them off into the living quarters she had built in the barracks. As she compared the third one against BB's hoof, the scent of cooking meat began to waft through the air, overpowering even the smell of manure.

By the time all four horseshoes were on and all three horses were fed and watered, the stew cooking over the hearth was well on its way to done. Rey's stomach rumbled as she looked down at the broth, thick with vegetables and meat. Poe grinned at her and handed her a meat pie from his pack before gesturing to a spot around the fire.

The three stayed up long past the sun had set, trading news and stories. Finn told Rey's favorite story, about how the Imperial Legion to the west was famed for riding horses with coats of pure white, and how they were so obsessed with keeping the beautiful fur that they began to breed the horses brother to sister, thus producing generations of beautiful horses that were dumber than rocks - like sweet, gentle, simple Storm.

Rey didn't have many stories of her own - most of them, she realized, were far too grim to tell around a campfire with a couple of happy friends - but she had heard quite a few fairy tales, told to her by the kind, older scavengers when she was still young and hammering out dents in the armor Plutt received from his apprentices. Rey told the one about how the Organas were secretly a family of witches and warlocks, who made the sun rise and set and the rains fall and the grasses grow; who waged a constant war with the forces of evil that sought to claim the kingdom and bring about unending night. The story had been told to her in a serious manner which Rey tried to recreate for show - and Poe laughed so hard he nearly cried at the way she overdid it, with flourishes of her hands to indicate magic spells.

Poe was, by far, the one who told the most stories. Rey had never left Jakku, and Finn knew little of the world other than what he had seen in the Reach and what he had been told before he deserted from the Imperial Legion, so both were eager to hear about the world beyond their ken. They especially delighted in stories of the ridiculous things that the members of the nobility did - as they learned, Poe had come from humble means, and had worked his way up the ranks until he served the queen herself, so was able to find humor in their actions, as well.

Rey loved the ones about the absurd court fashions. Apparently, feathers had suddenly come into style one year, and were worn everywhere. Gluing tiny feathers to one's eyelashes became especially popular - so popular than even the gentlemen were doing it, wearing feathers in masculine blacks and greys and reds. However, one poor lady, who was well-known for her taste in clothes, was horrendously allergic to feathers, but not to be outdone, had followed the fashion despite her sniffling and coughing and red eyes and rough voice. Others began to think it was a fashion statement as well, and began to rub their eyes to make them red or fake a cough. Worst of all was when people actually began to show up to court sick, as if it was in vogue. It became a competition of sorts, to see how sick they could become and still attend to the queen. It all came to a head when six people fainted from fever during a ball one night. In the end, the queen had to ban both feathers and influenza from the royal palace.

Rey would never understand the nobility, but at least she had a close friend - or maybe it was friends, now. As the moon began to rise in the sky, Rey set up a pallet for Poe and sent Finn to bed. As she left to find her own cot, she prayed she would see Poe again, as he was going back on the road tomorrow to deliver the news of the lottery to every fief in the reach.

Hopefully, the next time they met, it would be under better circumstances.

* * *

Finally, the first day of winter had arrived. The day before had been madness - Finn and the other farmhands had scrambled to finish the harvest, and had completed it just in time. The last wagon, loaded to the brim with grain, was leaving the fields just as the river finally crested the banks and spilled out onto the land. Once it receded toward the end of the season, there would be work to do, but for now, it was time to celebrate.

All of the workers had crowded into the small tavern - the landowner had opened a tab at the bar, meaning free drinks for all the farmhands. Finn was sipping his second mug of ale, enjoying the warmth it sent flooding through his body. The desert never really cooled off, even in the winter, but the burn of alcohol was never unwelcome after a stressful day.

Nor was gossip, apparently. One of his fellow workers burst in, brandishing a piece of parchment. Judging by the sizable tear near the top of the paper, he had torn it from the town message board in his eagerness to bring it to the tavern. "I have news," he proclaimed with forced solemnity, though he was clearly excited to be the first one to know, and therefore the gatekeeper of information.

Most people went back to their drinks - until he spoke again. "The lottery's been concluded," he said eagerly. "The Marquess will have his bride."

The lottery had been the source of chatter ever since Poe had passed through. Most agreed that it was a good deal - ten gold pieces, for a one in a thousand chance of being eaten by a dragon? Many faced odds far worse than that for less reward every day. Finn even knew of several girls within the village that had submitted their own names.

"Who is it?" Someone called out from the back of the room.

"Some woman from Jakku," the man replied.

"A round of drinks for the poor girl from Jakku! May being eaten by a dragon be as glorious a death as it sounds," the bartender cried, and the sound of another barrel of ale being popped open was met by cheers from the room.

"What's her name?" Finn shouted over the ruckus. Tomorrow, he'd ride out to see Rey. Maybe she'd know the girl who was chosen.

"Her name…" The man paused for dramatic effect, and the room quieted as they listened for his answer. Finn leaned forward, eager to know.

If only he knew how his next words would cause his heart to stop, then leap into his throat, racing a mile a minute.

"...is _Rey_."

* * *

 **A/N:** Welp, I've finally decided to jump into the Reylo trash bin. Greeting, brethren.

I love medieval AUs so much. This is one of two medieval Reylo AUs I've had bouncing around in my head for a while, but this is the more developed of the two, so I figured I'd work on this one! I'm in the interesting situation of having a definite beginning and a definite end, but the middle has a bit of that hand-wavey "relationship develops" bullshit going on right now. It'll hopefully become clearer as I continue writing.

Sorry there's no Kylo Ren in this chapter! This chapter was originally meant to combined with the second chapter, but it got waytoo long. As a result, this chapter ended up very...exposition-y. Rey and Kylo will meet next chapter, I promise.

So no set update schedule for this for the time being - I'm going to try and churn out chapters as quick as I can, but setting dates stresses me out. Be assured: I'll try to pump out chapters as quickly as possible, so we can get to the fun parts of the story!

That being said: I hope you all enjoy this story, and I'm looking forward to getting more involved in the Reylo community and getting to know you all!


	2. Chosen

That morning started like every other morning had for the past fourteen years. It didn't seem like the type of morning where everything would change, where the rug would suddenly be pulled out from under her feet. There was nothing new in the way that the first light of the sun crept over the sand. Rey still put her trousers on one leg at a time, and the water splashed onto her face from Falcon's trough still did little to remove the layers of grime and sweat and dust from her skin. The crust from last night's bread still left her stomach rumbling as she swung into her horse's saddle and rode out just as the sun crested the horizon. As far as she knew, it would be a day just like any other.

If only she had known how everything could change in the blink of an eye.

Rey had headed out to Kelvin Ravine to scavenge that morning. The plateaus above had hosted a number of battles several centuries before, but they had been nearly picked clean over the years. Instead, it was the maze of canyons itself, woven between the ridges and mesas, that were Rey's goal. Many an uncautious knight had waged a duel on the rises above, only to take a careless step backwards or to the side and go tumbling to his death.

Though it wasn't quite noon, her haul for the day was already looking good. The crowning jewel of the small pile of armor was a helmet, painstakingly molded to look like the head of an eagle. It even had feather imprints along the back. There was a significant dent in it - though not so significant as the one in the skull she had pried out of the inside - but Rey was fairly sure she could hammer it out without disrupting the design _too_ much.

She and Falcon re-emerged from the system of canyons as the sun was highest in the sky. Jakku, as with the other desert fiefs like Geonosis and Tatooine, observed a period of rest during the hottest part of the day. Even the most tenacious of scavengers would pause in their work in search of shade and rest, and harsh masters like Plutt would allow their workers a break. Even Rey herself found that the hour or so of downtime in the middle of the day, when it was far too hot to work efficiently, allowed her to be more productive during the time she actually spent scavenging.

That was why she was so surprised to see the rider cresting the nearest dune, heading south toward Niima Outpost, especially considering the rate he was moving at. If he was out and about at this time of day, when everyone else was relaxing, he was either bearing dire news or a foreigner from outside the desert. Most likely both, as every desert resident would wait to deliver even the worst of news until after the rest hour, and most foreigners chose to avoid the desert altogether if they could. Rey shrunk further back against the rock she was sitting beside, hoping the shade would disguise her.

However, a pale horse against a dark rock was easily visible, especially when Falcon lifted his head to observe the dust cloud being kicked up by the horse's hooves. The rider wheeled his horse until it was facing Rey, heading toward her at a gallop. Rey swore and snatched her staff from where she had fastened it to Falcon's back. Whatever this was, it couldn't be good.

But she relaxed shortly after as the rider came closer, slowing his horse into a trot, and then eventually a walk. It took her only a moment to recognize the bright orange spots on the skewbald mare, and Rey allowed her staff to drop to her side.

Finally, Poe pulled BB-8 to a full stop in front of Rey. He tugged the scarf he had wrapped around his face and head away from his mouth, gasping for air. Sweat ran from his temples and forehead, and Rey had to suppress a laugh at the burn adorning his skin anywhere the scarf hadn't covered.

"How do you _live_ like this, Rey?" he panted. "This is _awful_."

"You poor, poor thing." Though her words were sympathetic, she was grinning the entire time. "Poe, everyone takes a break at noon in the desert. No one's actually working; it's too hot. Look at BB! You probably knocked two or three years off of her life riding her like that in this heat." Sweat ran down BB's sides, too, and the poor mare was panting. Rey hooked her fingers in her reins and pulled her forward gently. "Let's get you some water, poor girl."

BB gladly gulped the water down even as Rey poured it into the circular tin. She glanced down the neck of her canteen with a sigh. Between Poe and BB, she was nearly out of water. She'd have to head back early today; it was too dangerous to traverse the desert without a good supply of liquid.

"There's snow in Coruscant right now," Poe told her, flopping onto his back in the shade. " _Snow._ It's supposed to be _winter_ , why is it so _hot?"_ Even through his complaints, he threw her a grin.

"Should have stayed in Coruscant, then," she told him. "It never really cools off in the desert." Rey had never even _seen_ snow before.

She spared him a glance. "Why _aren't_ you in Coruscant? You're a knight. Don't you have...I don't know, knight-ly things to do?"

Though Poe's grin stayed frozen his face, something in his eyes shifted suddenly, and Rey tensed. He sat up and folded his legs beneath him, using his scarf to mop the remaining sweat from his face. Rey waited patiently to hear his answer.

"We, um," he paused for a second, before finishing his sentence in a rush. "We had the drawing. We know who the Marquess' new bride will be."

Rey was quiet for a few seconds - a moment of silence for the dragon's latest sacrifice. "I see," she replied. "Going to give her the news?"

Poe nodded and moved to stand. His jaw worked, and he even opened his mouth once, as if to say something, but he stopped before he could make a sound.

"She's from Jakku, isn't she?" Rey sighed. It made sense - everyone in Jakku lived poorly, and everyone faced starvation on a daily basis. The sole exceptions were Plutt and the Lord of Jakku, but even they lived modest lives in comparison to the rich from other fiefs. There had probably been dozens of girls from Jakku that had volunteered their names in exchange for the money, hoping against hope they wouldn't be picked.

"You think it's someone I know, don't you?" she continued on. "You don't have to worry about telling me; I'm not close with anyone other than Finn. I mean, I feel bad for her, but I don't really know anyone else _personally_ , so - "

" _Rey,"_ Poe cut her off. "It's _you_."

Rey stopped mid-sentence. "I'm sorry, I don't think I understand you."

"It's you," he repeated. "Your name was drawn in the lottery. You are to be the Marquess' new bride."

It took her several moments to process his words - and _still_ , they didn't make sense. "I'm still confused - I mean, that's not even _possible._ "

"Improbable, but not impossible," Poe said apologetically. "I mean, we had almost three thousand names by the time we conducted the drawing. What are the chances? One in _three thousand_."

When Rey didn't speak, still staring at him in bewilderment, Poe began to blabber. "I didn't want to do this, I swear, but I thought you would prefer to hear it from a friend instead of from a stranger. I tried to tell them; it was a private drawing, they could just pull another new name, but they said - "

"Poe. _Shut. Up._ " And as ordered, Poe's mouth clamped shut, and he stared at her with wide, sorrowful eyes.

Except he _shouldn't_ have been, because none of this should have been possible in the first place, and she actually needed him to _un_ shut up so he could explain _how the hell this had happened_.

"Poe," she said, her calm tone belying her inner turmoil. "Why was my name part of the drawing?"

"Because...you sent it in…?" The realization dawned on his face. "You didn't put your name up for the lottery, did you?" Rey shook her head. "And you never got the purse?"

"I didn't."

"Then...how did…?"

"That's what _I_ want to know."

"I know we sent out the money," Poe frowned, "which means that someone was paid for putting your name into the lottery."

" _Who?"_ she demanded. _"Who_ was paid for _my_ sacrifice?"

Poe was already digging through his saddlebags, and within moments he had the parchment he was looking for in hand. His eyes skimmed down the page. "I don't have any information on who the purse went to," he told her, "But according to this, if your name was chosen, you specified that the lordship go to someone named…" he squinted his eyes at the paper. "Unkar Plutt?"

"That _bastard_ ," Rey seethed. She would have kicked the rock she was leaning against if she didn't know how much it would hurt - and damn it, Plutt probably would have _loved_ for her to hurt herself while she was raging against him. "That _greedy pox-marked son of a whore!_ I can't _believe_ he sold me out!" She pressed her palms to her forehead - she needed to _think_ , and the fury in her was driving all other thoughts from her head.

Thankfully, Poe was there to tell her exactly what she needed to hear.

"Rey, listen to me," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder to pull her to face him. "You don't have to go through with it. The lottery specifically asked for volunteers - and you never asked to be a part of it. You didn't get your money; you don't get anything out of it. No one expects you to go through with it. You're safe."

Rey let out a shaky breath. "I don't?" she asked softly.

"You don't. I know you don't think much of the nobility, but the queen is _good_. She would never make you do this unless you went willingly, and unless you got the reward you deserve for volunteering. I'll go back to Coruscant; I'll tell her what happened. We'll draw a new name. It'll be fine." He ran his hands from her shoulder to her elbows, up and down in a soothing motion.

Rey let out a soft sigh. "Good. Good," she whispered. "I'm glad. You had me worried for a moment."

But Poe was doing that thing again - where his mouth was still smiling, always smiling, but his eyes had gone distant, calculating, thoughtful instead of warm and comforting. He may have wanted to console her, but…

"So what's the catch?" she asked, pulling away from him. "What are you not telling me?"

"Like I was saying," he said nervously, "the queen is good. She won't force you to do anything you don't want to do. But... _someone_ must marry the Marquess, and soon. They say his dragon has already been ranging away from his castle in Takodana. If someone doesn't go, who knows what Kylo Ren will do. I want to return to the queen and tell her I've done everything I could to find the Marquess a suitable bride."

He touched a hand to her shoulder, and Rey jerked away with even more force than before. "So despite all that, you're _still_ going to force me to marry him?" she hissed.

" _Request_. Not force. Rey, all I'm asking is that you think of the girls like you - who were hungry enough that they were willing to risk this for the money so they can feed themselves, or the ones that were sold into it by someone else. Or think about what might happen if _no one_ goes, the havoc that the dragon would wreak upon the kingdom."

" _Emotional appeals_ ," Rey snarled. "You're asking me to sacrifice my life based on _emotional appeals?_ Do you think _they_ would have spared a thought for _me_ if they were chosen unjustly? Even - even knowing everything what I could have been through, they wouldn't have _cared._ They _never_ have! Why should I give a damn about them? About the same people who have stolen and hurt and cheated me all my life? I _don't!_ " Rey stalked away and sat heavily on a rock sticking up from the sand. She buried her head in her hands, breathing heavily.

Poe spilled to his knees before her, though she refused to look at him. "You're right," he whispered, repentant. "I shouldn't have asked. It was unfair of me to do so, and I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to shoulder everyone's burdens like that. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

When Rey still wouldn't turn her gaze toward him, he sighed softly. "Don't worry. I'll make this right. I'll ride back to Coruscant as soon as it cools off. We can hold another drawing as soon as I return, and I'll ride out as soon as I have a new name. It'll all turn out; you'll see."

His comforting words had no effect, as Rey was barely listening. The wheels in her head turned and turned and turned, for as much as she might have protested his emotional appeals, Rey was a bleeding heart through and through. Even if they never showed her any kindness, it was always hard to ignore the desert rats that worked for Plutt. There was no lost love between Plutt and herself - especially not now, when she was almost wishing he _would_ be eaten by the dragon - but the little orphans he employed? They might as well have been her at that age. She had _been_ them when she was that age. Could she allow them to face the wrath of a dragon?

And what about the other girls? The ones who were probably breathing a sigh of relief right now that their names hadn't been chosen, that they had gambled and _won_. She knew all too well how hard those wins were to come by for people like her, and how precious every one was. But to find out it had been taken from her? To breath that sigh of relief, only to find out that she had failed after all? That was worse than being doomed from the start.

And what of the little noble ladies? Though she held plenty of disdain for nobles, Rey didn't have it in her to blame the ones that had been dragged away to marry the Marquess, only to be eaten by the dragon. Her thoughts turned to the one unattached noble lady of the Reach, tiny little Lady Asha of Endor. The noble family of Endor was known for being reclusive, and the image of the little girl, dragged away from her family and a house she had probably never once left, to be married to a man who routinely fed his wives to a monster tugged at her heart.

The fallout would be worse if no one went. The entirety of the Reach - _hundreds_ of fiefs that dotted the southern part of the kingdom, full of starving girls and rich girls and clever girls and foolish girls, all believing they were safe, only to be leveled by the dragon's wrath. Just like Tuanul.

But Rey - Rey could do it. She could go to Takodana, marry the Marquess, and save all of those girls - or, at least, she could save them for another year or so. She wasn't equipped with the skills that the noble ladies that had gone before her had been given. She wasn't well-read, nor did she know any courtly etiquette. She didn't know the best way to throw a ball or gain favor with the other nobles. She hadn't been given the skills to seduce a man, to make him desire her and then keep him interested, which seemed to be the most relevant piece of information when one was marrying a man prone to killing his wives.

There was one thing she did have, though, that the others lacked - Rey knew how to _survive_. She had been faced with insurmountable odds before and lived to tell the tale. She was quick and bright and adaptable, and had yet to meet an obstacle she could not find her way around. Maybe she couldn't do what the others could do - but she could persist, and give the Reach some peace of mind for a time.

And when the day came that the dragon would inevitably try to eat her?

Well, Rey had always been very good at _escaping._

"You - " Rey cut herself off to swallow thickly, trying to force back the tears. Even if Poe was giving her a choice, there really wasn't much of a decision to be made. For some people, with some choices, even with all the different options laid out before them, there was really only one path to take. Rey was one of those people, and this was one of those decisions. "You have to arrest Plutt," she finally managed to get out. "It's - it's not fair that he gets to exploit people like that. He shouldn't have been able to sell me off like that."

"Of course," Poe agreed readily, though he tilted his head curiously at her. "The queen would not allow such deception under her reign. I'll go to Lord Tekka now and have him send his guard to capture him. He'll be facing heaving charges for fraud and lying to an official of the Crown. Tax evasion, too, from what I've heard. Really, whatever they can pin on him."

"And Finn?" she whispered. "The purse. I want it to go to him."

Finally, the realization of what she was asking for dawned on Poe. He gently pulled her hands away from her face, and Rey realized her palms were damp. "It will," he whispered. "Finn will get the money. I'll deliver it personally, to make sure he gets it."

Crying was a terrible idea in the desert, where every drop of water was as precious as gold, but now that she had started, she couldn't stop. "And the lordship," she gasped, her shoulders heaving. "He'll - he'll be such a good lord. He's so kind, people will _love_ him, and he'll love them back. But he - he loves too much sometimes. He'll give too much. You have to look after him, make sure he keeps his feet under him. _Promise me._ "

"I promise, I do. I'll keep him close, I'll write to him all the time, I'll even live with him while I'm not at court. I'll help him; don't you worry."

"And - and Falcon, don't let them send him to a slaughterhouse." Her fingers were clinging to the fabric of his shirt, fisted at his shoulders, desperate for one solid thing in a world suddenly spinning out of control. "I know he's mean, and he bites and kicks, but he's so _good_ , he's so clever and loyal and he deserves so much _more - "_

"I'll take care of him," he swore. "He can have the stall right next to BB, and they'll be best friends. Or I can send him to live with Finn, so he won't miss his favorite chew toy. I'll take care of _everything."_

With those words, Rey finally allowed herself to collapse into his arms and bury her face into his shoulder. Poe only wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tight to him, ignoring the tears slowly soaking into his shirt.

"I'll do it," she sobbed. "I'll do it."

* * *

Five days.

Rey had been given five days to prepare before she was sent to her wedding. Five days for the news to reach the Marquess, and for him to send his emissary to collect her.

Rey spent most of those five days with Finn and Poe. Finn had burst into tears the moment he saw her - he had ridden out as soon as he heard the news - and wrapped her in the tightest embrace he could manage.

Rey, for her part, didn't cry, not as Finn's hug squeezed the air out of her, and not after. After falling apart in Poe's arms after first hearing the news, she refused to let the tears fall again. Crying wouldn't help her now - only action. She refused to let these be the last days of her life...but they might have been the last time she would see Finn and Poe. She wanted to cherish every moment of it.

So the three spent their time talking. Poe shared more stories of the royal court to keep their minds off of what was to come. Rey asked him once or twice about the Marquess, but Poe seemed to know about as much as they did. It seemed that the man with a dragon under his control would remain a mystery until the day they finally met.

As the fifth day dawned, Rey allowed herself a last glance around her home as Finn and Poe packed the saddlebags. She ran her hands along the stone walls, leaned her head against the wooden beams of the stalls, and even spared a glance toward the ashes in the hearth. Even if it wasn't much, this place was her _home_. She had built most of it with her own two hands, working on it ever since she was young. There were so many memories to this place - not all of them good, but all of them _hers_ , and she would likely never see it again.

She didn't look back as the three rode out, too afraid of the tears that might fall. It was out of sight before the sun had even risen above the horizon.

The letter that had come from the capitol the day before had given them very clear instructions. The Marquess was a secretive man, obviously, so everything had to be done exactly to his specifications - for his own protection, supposedly. Rey was to go to the north edge of Kelvin Ravine and wait atop the highest plateau - alone. The Marquess' emissary would meet her there shortly after dawn, and the two would travel to Takodana together, where she would be married.

Rey, however, didn't own a single article of white clothing. Whites never truly stayed white in the desert, and most just allowed them to fade into a washed-out brown color. She could not be a bride in white in the desert - instead, she chose the palest piece of clothing she owned, a dress in a dove grey color. Even that wasn't very bride-ly - her boots were her same, worn down, brown riding boots, laced all the way up to the knee.

But it didn't matter to Rey - she wasn't feeling very matrimonial in the first place. If the Marquess was expecting a glowing, beautiful bride to show up on his doorstep, eager for marriage to one of the most powerful lords in the kingdom, he had another thing coming.

Poe and Finn hesitated at the top of the ridge. Falcon's lead line was already tied to Storm's saddle, and Rey had already taken her few personal items from the saddlebags and stuffed them into her small pack.

"The sun is rising," she reminded them softly. "You need to leave."

But instead of going, Finn swung off of Storms back and stepped forward to wrap her in his arms once more. "I won't leave you," he said fiercely. "I _won't."_

For a moment, Rey let herself live in that fantasy. She'd get back on Falcon's back, and the two of them would ride off. They'd run away together; leave Jakku and settle down somewhere else. Somewhere far from the Reach - maybe they'd head north to the Core and see the capitol, or to the beautiful lands to the east called the Slice. Or maybe even further north, to the mountains of the Borderlands. _Somewhere with snow would be nice,_ she thought. They'd be happy there, and then…

Then what? They'd hear stories of how the Reach had been destroyed by a rampaging dragon? About how one selfish girl had fled instead of married a rich nobleman, how she was unwilling to make a sacrifice for the good of everyone? Or about other wives, sacrificed to the Marquess and his dragon?

She couldn't live like that. The guilt would eat her alive.

Instead, she pulled back and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Goodbye, my friend," she whispered.

"Rey." He gripped her elbows, as if trying to keep her grounded with him. "You - be safe. Don't do anything stupid. Please, _please_. I don't - I don't want to hear stories of the Marquess needing another wife after this, all right? I am _begging_ you - "

" _Finn,"_ she said firmly. She disentangled herself from his embrace, reluctant to leave his arms, but knowing she had to. "Don't worry," she told him with a smile that was more confident that she felt. "I'll be fine."

Finally, Finn stepped away. "Be safe," he repeated in little more than a whisper, before he pulled himself back into Storm's saddle.

Rey watched them as they left, the horses making their way down the treacherous cliffside path before trotting through the dunes, away from the rising sun. Finn was leaving his home too, today - he and Poe were traveling west, to where Finn's new fief and a lordship awaited him. They had spoken very little about it, as no one really wanted to acknowledge the elephant in the room of how he had gotten it. He was going on to a better life - and Rey was happy for him.

Rey herself, however…

Rey watched them until their horses were little more than specks in the sand, then let out a deep sigh. The Marquess' emissary would arrive soon, though she didn't know what direction we would arrive from. The south, she assumed, as Takodana itself was to the south, but the only reliable path to the top of the plateau was on the north end. Perhaps she would see them emerge from the canyons below and then climb the weaving road to the top.

But there was no telltale sign of dust rising from the weaving maze between the cliffs, no horse at the bottom of the ravine, despite the sun slowly rising in the sky. Were they late? Would Rey just be allowed to leave if they didn't show up?

That was when she heard the sound of wingbeats, and Rey finally, finally, looked up. The emissary had indeed approached from the south, just as she had initially expected.

What she had not expected was to be greeted by the creature that had haunted her every nightmare since she had first been told that she was marrying the Marquess. She scrambled backwards toward the edge of the cliff as none other than the dragon of legend landed in the center of the plateau.

The dragon was far larger than she had ever given him credit for, larger than most of the houses in Niima Outpost. Each of his long, pointed claws were as long as her forearm, though they were a charcoal grey color, instead of stained black with dried blood, like the stories told.

However, his scales were that black of deepest night, of the darkness between stars, of shadows given life. The only exceptions were a pattern of scales in silver-chrome lining his eyes (brown, with whites and pupils, instead of a pure, dripping scarlet through and through) and scattered across his brow, almost like a king might wear a circlet, his symbol of divinity. The smallest of the silver scales, the ones closest to his eyes, were no larger than her thumbnail, and sent the dawning light scattering its reflection across the rocky slopes. The impressive set of horns growing from his head was offset by the soft looking, spear-shapes ears.

His wings, however, were truly something to be marveled at. Even as he folded them and tucked them against his body, she could see he must have had a wingspan of at least thirty or forty feet. How far could he fly with wings like those? How _fast?_

"Greetings," he rumbled, and Rey wasn't sure if she was more surprised that the beast could actually _talk_ or that he had the manners to greet her properly. His voice was a deep bass, and had a strange growling, rumbling quality to it that Rey assumed had something to do with the was a dragon's vocal cords worked.

"I am Kylo Ren," he continued on, barely acknowledging her presence from where he towered above her, let alone her strange mix of shock, awe, and terror. "The dragon of legend of the south, Devourer of Knights, Maker of Widows, the Orphaner, and loyal servant to my lord and master, His Lordship, the Marquess of the Reach and Lord of Takodana. I am the emissary, sent to collect his new bride."

It was several moments before Rey regained her ability to speak, and several more before she was able to master her terror. She would _not_ let this monster see her fear. "Greetings, monster," she said coldly. "I am Rey of Jakku, former apprentice to the blacksmith Unkar Plutt of Niima Outpost, now betrothed to his Lordship, the Marquess."

He was about as offended by her insult as she was impressed by his supposedly terrifying titles. However, by the end of her sentence, he looked down at her, narrowing his eyes slightly. For a moment, Rey wondered if he was sizing up to eat her - her hand pressed against her thigh, where she had strapped a small dagger this morning. If he was going to try to devour her now, she wouldn't go down without a fight.

But it wasn't the look of a predator staring down their next meal - instead, he simply took her in, like she had taken stock of him when he had first arrived.

All of a sudden, Rey was very aware of what she must look like to him. All of the Marquess' other brides had been noble ladies, no doubt gone to meet the Marquess' emissary in full bridal attire, their dresses pure white and at the height of fashion and dripping with jewels. Rey's was a plain grey, without ornamentation. Her skin was tanned and freckled from years under the desert sun, and her hands were covered in rough callouses from her work as a blacksmith. Dozens of little scars littered her arms, from all the times she had burned herself while using the forge.

"A blacksmith," Kylo Ren said flatly. "They send the Marquess of the Reach, one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, a _blacksmith's apprentice_ for his bride?"

Rey bristled at his tone, but Kylo Ren approached her, curling his body slowly around her like a serpent constricting his prey. "I'm sorry he won't have a pampered noblewoman for a wife," Rey said sharply, "but I'm afraid he has a _spoiled pet_ who keeps chasing them all away. There are no more available noblewomen in the Reach for him to marry." She moved to duck out of the circle his body was creating around her, but he shifted to block her way, leaving the only escape route right by his head, which Rey was reluctant to approach.

"But a _blacksmith_ from _Jakku?_ Now _that_ is ridiculous. Instead of a merchant's daughter, or the daughter of a noble from another region, they send a _blacksmith_. A nobody from a fief of nothing."

Rey snarled at his words. 'Impulsive' was a word Finn used to describe her occasionally. Rey preferred the term 'excellent reaction time'. Either way, she was usually able to avoid doing anything foolish based on a spur-of-the-moment instinct.

This was not one of those times.

"I," she hissed, clenching her hand into a fist, "am not _nothing_." With all of the force in her small, emaciated body, she pulled back and _slammed_ her fist into his snout.

And _immediately_ regretted it. Even as Kylo Ren reared back in shock, agony bloomed across Rey's knuckles, and she let out a gasp of pain. She wrapped her free hand around her wrist because _damn it_ , she knew that dragon's scales were hard, but she hadn't expected it to _hurt_ like that. Little cuts welled blood across her knuckles from where she had cut herself against his scales, and she whimpered softly as she brushed her fingers across the back of her hand, hoping she hadn't hurt the bones within.

Kylo Ren, for his part, looked unhurt, but had a look across his face that could only be described as _offended_. _He_ had been the one insulting _her_ , and now _he_ was the one offended when she had fought back.

And then, Kylo Ren did the worst thing he could have done - he began to laugh. She almost didn't recognize it as such, with his strange dragon voice, a barking, growling noise, but the mirth behind it was entirely unmistakable. Rey ground her teeth and gripped her wrist all the harder.

All of a sudden, he was at her level again, face-to-face. "Oh, little one, you are a _delight_ ," he told her, the amusement still evident in his voice. "No, you are not nobody - not anymore. _You_ ," he purred, "are a _Marquesa_."

He was on her before she knew what was happening, one large forepaw wrapping around her to drag her close to his chest before the other wrapped around her as well. She let out a shriek as the first beat of his enormous, leathery wings nearly slammed her into the ground, but by the second, her feet were leaving the ground, and by the fourth they were airborne.

Rey's hands wrapped around the paws squeezed around her midsection, even as her feet kicked out, desperate for the earth below that was quickly falling away from beneath her. Kylo Ren lazily circled the plateau, now far, far below, before wheeling south.

Rey wriggled in his grasp, not sure if she was trying to get away or get comfortable anymore. "If you struggle," Kylo Ren called down from above as his wings propelled him through the air, "I _promise_ I will drop you."

Rey froze in his paws, suddenly very aware of the fact that the earth was now more than a hundred feet below her. One of his paws adjusted around her, even letting her go completely to settle more comfortably around her body, and Rey gasped, clinging desperately to the remaining claws holding onto her, scraping her fingers against the rough scales. Kylo Ren laughed from from somewhere above her, and Rey glares up at what she could see of him, which was mostly his chest and the bottom of his neck. _Ass._

If she wasn't so damn _terrified_ , Rey might have enjoyed the ride. As it was, she tried to pay attention to the flight. Kylo Ren was able to move quickly in the air than anything she had ever seen, and the landscape below quickly began to change. Niima Outpost fell behind them, their residents like ants, and the sandy desert slowly began to flatten out, transitioning into dry grasslands, then rolling plains, with a pair of rivers converging like a shining ribbon rolling over the land. Every once in a while, they'd travel through a cloud, obscuring Rey's vision before they emerged out the other side.

Within a couple of hours of taking off, the air around them began to grow cold. Rey shivered slightly - her dress was made for the desert weather, but now, she was flying further and further into the cold south, the combination of the height they were flying at and the wind whipping at her face and clothes leaving her even colder than before. Kylo Ren's claws adjusted around her, and he drew her closer to his chest. Almost instantly, Rey was left feeling warmer, the fire burning in the dragon's belly warming him from the inside out. Still, there was only so much he could do, and Rey was left shivering slightly as they moved further and further south.

The flight was a long one, and once her initial blind fright faded out into mild terror, she began to take stock of the land below her. She tried to guess the fiefs as they flew along, but the further they got from Jakku, the fewer she able able to name, until she couldn't tell one from the other.

What she _did_ notice was the first patches of snow appearing on the ground far below, and she chanced leaning just a little further over Kylo Ren's paws to get a better look. Soon, the snow patches transitioned to being mostly snow with patches of brown earth peeking through, to snow covering the ground entirely.

Though she hadn't been able to name a single fief they flew over for more than an hour, Rey knew enough about Takodana to tell they were close. The forests had been thick for the past dozen or so miles, the snow-covered trees stretching up to the sky and the canopy so dense that Rey often couldn't see the ground below. Then, the river flowing from the north was joined by another river, and then another, and another, until there was just as much water below as land, though most of it had frozen over in the chill. Takodana was famed for its bridges spanning over the many rivers and lakes, connecting all the land together.

Except for one piece - and island, swiftly approaching, far out in the middle of one of the largest lakes she had seen so far. The reservoir surrounding it was so large that the water the furthest from the land was still unfrozen, leaving a gap of running water between the ice sheets. And there, on the island, was a castle, with terraces built into the rocky face of it, but the peak of the small mountain left bare. There were no banners declaring it for one house or another, and just from that alone, Rey knew.

"Takodana Castle," Kylo Ren said above her. "Your new home."

Rey felt her heart sink in her chest. Her new home, indeed, and the death of all of her hopes. There would be no running away from this castle. It had no ramparts, no guards or walls that she could see, but her chances of running away had just plummeted. She glanced down at the water below her, both at the ice and the water running just below it.

Maybe for someone else, there might have been a glimmer of hope, but there would be no escape for someone who didn't know how to swim.

* * *

 **A/N:** The next chapter will probably take a bit longer to write, as I usually only write when I have a day off of work, and my next day off isn't until Thursday. And yes, it does usually take more than one day off to do a chapter, since I tend to write kind of long chapters. On top of that, my beta reader's starting finals week this week, and I don't want to bug her too much to come edit my fic when she should be studying. I should probably also mention that this chapter is mostly unbeta'd, since she's been pretty busy. But once the weekend comes around (or, you know, Thursday for me), we'll both be back to work with the writing. Well, back to work with the writing when we're not working on cosplay, haha.

Next chapter we finally have both the wedding and the wedding night. That little tidbit aught to tide you over until I can write more. ;D


	3. Wedded and Bedded

As soon as they touched down in the lowest courtyard of the castle and Kylo Ren released her from his terrifying claws, Rey dropped to her knees. Her muscles were weak from both fear and from being carried through the air most of the day, the dragon's paws squeezed firmly around her midsection. Though she wanted nothing more than to put as much distance between herself and the monster who would in all likelihood devour her in the coming months, she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her crawl away from him.

Over the roar of her heart pounding in her eardrums, a new sound became apparent: a steady _tap tap tap_ of wood hitting stone. She looked up to greet the person who stepped through the castle's great double doors and strode across the terrace to greet her.

The woman was probably the _oldest_ person Rey had ever seen, though the people of Jakku weren't known for their long lifespans, and the oldest person she had ever met before had been a woman of sixty-two. _This_ woman had to be more than a hundred years old, Rey was sure, despite the fact that, with the aid of her cane, she moved with the speed and ease of a sprightly septuagenarian. Sun-worn and wrinkled like a peach pit, she had a strict, no-nonsense face - but her brown eyes, made huge by a pair of thick spectacles, sparkled with wit, and when she took in Rey on her hands and knees, she spared her a sympathetic look. Her bald head was protected from the cold by a cozy-looking grey knit cap.

Rey attempted to find her feet, wanting to show her respect for someone who had reached such an advanced age, but the woman waved her away.

Instead, her eyes turned to Kylo Ren and immediately hardened. "You've terrorized the poor girl enough for one day. You've had her since - what, dawn? It's nearly sunset, now. You should go."

"I really should - "

"Out! Go! You have things to do." Rey had no idea what kind of _things_ a dragon would need to do, but Maz waved her tiny, wrinkled hands at him in a shooing motion, as if scaring off a pesky bird instead of an enormous dragon.

To her immense surprise, Kylo Ren backed away from her. The wind from his wings tousled her already mussed hair as he took off. Rey looked back to watch him wheel away from the terrace, climbing upwards to the peak of the mountainous island.

Her eyes turned back to the woman with a newfound respect. Whoever she was, she was clearly a force to be reckoned with if she could chase off a dragon without batting a lash.

The woman was observing her as well, looking her up and down without trying to disguise her stare. "So, you're the new one," she stated after a moment. "You'll do. Can you stand?"

Rey wasn't entirely sure how she felt about being told she was _acceptable_ , but she wasn't exactly satisfied with _anything_ about this situation. Slowly, she got her feet underneath her once more and stood shakily to her full height. Her legs were sore, but not so much that she couldn't stand. She looked down at the woman - now more than a full foot shorter than her - and nodded.

"Good," she said decisively. "Come along, we have much to do." Without so much as an actual greeting, the woman turned and marched back toward the castle with remarkable speed for someone so old.

After standing for a moment, too shocked to move, Rey jogged to catch up, slipping into the entryway right before the castle doors shut behind her. "I'm Rey," she introduced herself. "And you are?"

"The Marquess of the Reach," the woman said seriously. When she spared a glance over her shoulder at Rey's incredulous look, she laughed, but didn't slow in her walk. "I'm not," she reassured her, though Rey wasn't sure if she should be disappointed or not. The woman had a sense of humor, at least. "I am Maz Kanata, the head servant of Takodana Castle. The _sole_ servant, in fact. I do all the cooking, the cleaning, the organizing, the gardening. If you need anything, you come to me - I've been doing this job for a _long_ time, and I do it well."

The _sole_ servant? In the _entire_ castle? Rey was hardly an expert on castles, but she had always thought they staffed dozens of servants to take care of all of the different tasks that needed to be performed every day. Even the Lord of Jakku, one of the poorest lords in the kingdom with one of the smallest homes, kept five servants to attend to his needs. High Lords like the Marquess were supposed to employ _hundreds_ of workers across their sprawling estates to do everything from cooking to cleaning to serving the various lords and courtiers that made up their personal courts.

...Then again, Rey didn't see any of the things she would have expected to see in a High Lord's castle. The estate was _hardly_ sprawling - though larger than any home she had ever been in, it was confined by the size of the island, and even then, it didn't take up the whole of the island. From what she had seen during Kylo Ren's descent, the castle was built onto the west side of the island, stretching from just above the shoreline to about midway up the mountain. The east side of the island was left to grow into a controlled wilderness, though the island was rocky enough that few large trees grew, leaving little more than scrub grass and bare stone and snow.

For that matter, even the castle itself was quiet. Throughout their entire walk so far, Rey had yet to see another person, not even a lord of the Reach come to call on the Marquess. The Great Hall was empty, and the halls were deserted as well. Even when she strained her ears, Rey could hear nothing but their footsteps. She was quickly beginning to suspect that she and Maz were the only people in the castle - and the Marquess, of course.

"I take it you know the Marquess well, then?" she queried. "Since you say you've served him for so long…"

Maz barked out a short, harsh laugh. "Know him well? Ha! Who do you think suckled him as an infant when his mother's milk didn't come? Who do you think cleaned his scrapes when he fell and dried his tears when his parents couldn't be there to do it for him?"

"...Is this another trick question, or - "

" _Me. I_ did all those things. I've known him since he was a babe in arms."

Rey considered her next question carefully. She was reluctant to get onto Maz's bad side - as she had said, Maz was the only one she could go to if she needed anything, and she didn't want to give her any reason not to help her - so any disparaging remarks about the Marquess would probably be unwelcome, especially since she had cared for him since he was a boy.

"You must know much about him." When in doubt, flattery was never a bad choice, even if she could never be as eloquent as the many well-read noble ladies who had walked these halls before. "I'm afraid news about our lord is hard to come by in the rest of the Reach. Perhaps you could enlighten me on a few of the details?"

Maz shot her an amused glance over her shoulder. "Perhaps you can ask your husband yourself when you meet him."

Flattery quickly went out the window. "Look, I only found out that I was even a _candidate_ to be married about a week ago. I've been pulled from the only life I've ever known to be married to a man who's not known for holding onto his wives for very long. All I want is to know something, just a little something, about the man who's about to be my husband."

Though she didn't look back at her this time, Maz's voice was compassionate. "I know," she said softly. "I am not unsympathetic. But -"

"If you tell me that patience is a virtue, I am going to _lose it_."

To her surprise, Maz laughed at her petulant comment. "You're straightforward. I like that. It will serve you well here. I was _not_ going to tell you to be patient - though it _is_ a virtue. But though I have known the Marquess since he was young, he is still my lord. I will not betray his trust in any way."

"You won't even tell me his name?"

"He'll tell you what he wants you to know in good time."

Rey made a frustrated noise, but the time for questions was over - Maz had finally stopped in front of a heavy oak door and pushed it open. Despite her frustration with the situation and Maz's evasiveness, she stepped inside after her.

Unlike the rest of the castle, which was devoid of any meaningful ornamentation, this room was almost cozy. A small bookshelf was pushed up against one wall, though only two of the five shelves had books. The other three were filled with trinkets, though Rey could hardly name where any of them came from. A cheery-looking fire burned in the hearth, and a plush throw rug covered the ground to protect her feet from the chill of the stone beneath. The window to the outside faced the frozen lake, and in the distance, Rey could see the frosty forest on the other side of the water.

Maz sat behind the desk in the center of the room, and motioned for Rey to take one of the cushioned chairs just across from it. She turned the paper in the center of the desk so it was facing Rey and pushed it toward her. "You need to sign this." She plucked a feather quill and an inkwell from one of the desk's drawers and passed them to Rey as well. "You can read? Write?"

"A little," Rey admitted. There weren't many books in Jakku, but she had learned the basics of her letters and numbers. Truthfully, both had come rather naturally to her, but Rey had always prided herself as a quick study. She never delved too deeply, though, partly due to a lack of time, partly due to a fear of the other scavengers - any who seemed to excel too much in any subject were quickly torn down by their jealous brethren.

But the words came back quickly to her as she picked up the document and scanned through it. There wasn't much to it - only a few lines of writing on the entire paper - but the meaning was clear.

"A marriage certificate?" She looked up at Maz, who nodded. "Shouldn't we have - I don't know, a ceremony? Witnesses? An officiant?" When she had envisioned her wedding day, she had never imagined it would be like _this_.

"His Lordship is very private, and prefers to keep his castle clear of unnecessary visitors, so there will be no ceremony," Maz said, not unkindly. "I will be your witness, and when the document has been signed by all parties, it will be sent to a magistrate in Coruscant, who will approve it."

 _All parties._ Rey looked sharply down at the document, at twin lines where their names would be signed. Sadly enough, both lines were blank - leaving her no hint as to her husband's name. "I assume His Lordship will not be joining us?" she guessed. He hadn't revealed himself yet - why should he bother to show up to his own wedding? It wasn't like he hadn't already done this six times before.

"The Marquess is a busy man," Maz evaded. "I'll bring it up to him later tonight, and he'll sign it when he has the time."

Rey's stared down at the thick parchment and the two blank lines. With a heavy heart, she reached for the offered quill and dipped it into the inkpot.

Three letters.

Three letters was all it took to sign her life away to a man she didn't even know.

Silently, she handed the paper back to Maz, who sprinkled a fine layer of sand over her name to dry the ink. Once she was sure the single word wouldn't run off the page, she set it aside.

"Good," she nodded once. "That's done with. Welcome to Takodana, my lady Marquesa of the Reach. Now, if you'll come with me, we have much to do. After all…"

And then, Maz said the words that Rey had heard at least a dozen times before, repeated by elderly matrons guiding young women on the day of their wedding. It was always said with a playful air, as if they were letting them in on a joyous, happy secret; a wondrous thing they were finally allowed to experience.

But when Maz said it, she was completely serious, and her words had a gravitas to it that the phrase had never been given before. For a moment, Rey wondered if it was only because they were directed at _her_ now, instead of being overheard during a moment of joy. The look on Maz's face, however, silenced any doubts she had about the matter.

"...We must prepare you for your _wedding night_."

* * *

The first thing Maz did after Rey's apparent wedding was feed her, for which Rey was immensely grateful. "My apologies for the simplicity," she said as she led her down into the kitchens, "but I figured you wouldn't want anything too heavy tonight."

 _Simple_ was not the word Rey would have used to describe the meal. The stew Maz served her was thick with turnips, carrots, onions, and barley, and the beef within was so tender it practically melted her mouth. The rolls she served her were still warm and buttery, and she doubted that even a single grain of sand had been added to the flour. There was even cold water, a luxury in Jakku, with lake-cut ice so freezing it made her teeth hurt as she guzzled it down. She debated asking for seconds - but stopped just before she could open her mouth. There would be more later - if she lasted the night. Her worry made the food turn to ashes in her mouth, but she swallowed down the food already in front of her. It wouldn't do to waste it.

As soon as she was done, Maz led her away once more, up the stairs and into a small room with a bathing tub in the middle. It was already filled with steaming water, and Rey luxuriated in the burn as she dipped her hand into it. Maz was quick to strip her down and all but toss her into the bathtub, and Rey gave an undignified shriek as the water sloshed over the edge of the tub.

"Hush, you're fine," Maz scolded her, even as she fished one of Rey's arms out of the water and began to scrub.

By the time Maz had finished cleaning the now thoroughly disgruntled Rey, the water had gone cold and had turned a grey-brown color, while Rey's skin was a shade of peachy-pink she didn't think she had ever seen before, though she wasn't sure whether that was due to the thorough cleansing making her skin redder than it actually was or because she had never seen herself devoid of dirt before.

Finally, Maz drained the dirty water and poured more into the tub, hot once more. She added a few drops of scented oil from a bottle she had set to the side, and the subtle scent of roses began to emanate from the water. "Take your time," Maz told her as she left her to herself. "Would you like something to drink while you soak? Water? Tea? Alcohol?"

Rey was half-tempted to ask for some sort of spirit, but rejected the idea. When she met the Marquess - _if_ she met the Marquess, which she was beginning to doubt more and more as the evening wore on - she wanted to remember it unfettered by inebriation. "Tea would be nice, please."

"What kind would you like?"

Rey had barely even known that there were different kinds of tea - she had only received a mug once at a tavern she and Finn had visited, and that had been spiked with a healthy dose of rum. "Surprise me," she said instead of sounding foolish.

Rey sat in the bathwater for a long, long time. She watched as her fingers slowly wrinkled, as her skin turned an even deeper pink from the heat. She waited until the water cooled once more and her mug of tea had long since been drained before she stood. Rivulets ran down her body to join the water below as she squeezed her hair out and reached for the fluffy towel Maz had left out for her. She paused to inspect her stomach - not a single cut or bruise around her midsection, despite being carried in by a monster's sharp claws all day. She was glad of that, at least.

Maz was waiting for her when she emerged from the room. Once more, she led her down the hallways, now darkened with the shadows of night and lit up by the occasional torch. Finally, she pulled open a door to a room deep in the castle. "Your chambers," she told her, and Rey stepped inside.

It was probably one of the most lived-in rooms in the castle Rey had seen so far. Though there was no hearth, the room was a comfortable temperature, and candles flickered merrily on a stand in one corner. A dresser was pushed up against one wall, with a table and a mirror right next to it, and a little stool right nearby. A pair of bookshelves lined either side of the room, and a dressing screen was pushed into one corner. A second door was on the other side of the room, a mirror to the one she had walked through, but Rey had no clue what it could lead to. In the middle was the bed, a huge piece of furniture with an elegant canopy, made of mahogany and draped all in plush, velvety reds with gold and black embroideries. A trunk sat at its foot, as well as nightstands on either side.

Rey took the piece of fabric Maz shoved into her hands with little protest, and even walked behind the dressing screen at her insistence, too mesmerized by the room. It was hardly the multi-room apartments Rey had heard many noble ladies kept - even the room itself wasn't all that large - but they were cozy and comfortable - in other words, perfect for someone as small and discreet as Rey.

The nightgown Maz had handed her was comfortable too, a soft, cotton garment that fell below her knees. A baby blue ribbon was laced around the collar to hold it closed, and tied in a cute little bow in the front.

She walked out from behind the dressing screen to compliment Maz on her good taste - but stopped. "What are you doing?" she asked, more curious than worried.

Maz had pulled the candelabra from the stand, and stood with the only source of light in her hands. She turned toward Rey. "Oh, good," she said. "It fits. We can see about taking your measurements tomorrow, if you'd like - find you some clothes that are more suited to the weather. But for now, you should sleep."

"Sleep?"

"Yes. The Marquess seemed quite busy when I checked on him. He'll be along later in the night."

Slowly, Rey climbed into the bed, and resisted a happy sigh when the feather mattress yielded beneath her weight, but not enough to make her feel like she was drowning. "Then...I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yes," Maz agreed as she exited the room. "See you in the morning."

As soon as she pulled the door shut behind her, the room was plunged into darkness. She had barely noticed before, but the room didn't have a single window, so without the light of the candles, she could see nothing but blackness. Rey shifted restlessly - even back in Jakku, she was used to the starlight filtering into the old barracks, but it was impossible to see in here.

Perhaps her husband would bring in a few candles when he came to her. Rey snorted. Yeah, right. The Marquess had yet to show his face - he didn't even attend his own wedding. Why should he go to his wedding night? In all likelihood, Rey would spend the night alone in this gorgeous bed, which was just fine by her. She turned onto her side and burrowed deeper under the covers, trying her best to fall asleep.

Rey had nearly dozed off when a quiet sound jerked her out of her restful state. She froze, not breathing as she listened for whatever had woken her.

Then, a second soft _click_ echoed through the room, as well as a quiet sigh, from the direction of the door she hadn't come through. Rey relaxed slightly, and then stiffened once more once the realization washed over her - _this_ must be the mysterious Marquess of the Reach, finally here to see her on the night of their wedding.

She felt like she should say something - introduce herself, or ask his name, or greet him, or even yell at him for being absent all day, _anything_ , really - but her voice froze in her throat. What was she supposed to say to him? She couldn't even _see_ him in the darkness. Should she ask for a candle?

In the end, she resolved to stay quiet - if he thought she was going to simper and genuflect to him, he had another thing coming. _He_ was going to have to win _her_ over, not the other way around - and whoever spoke first would determine who would have to curry favor from the other. If this was a battle of wills, she would _not_ lose.

But he didn't seem eager to speak, at all - he shuffled about the room, doing who knew what. Rey didn't even know how he knew the room well enough to move through it without running into anything in the blackness. She shifted onto her back, just so the noise of the covers would alert him to her presence and hopefully prompt a conversation. But besides a slight pause in his movements, the Marquess continued on, the whisper of his clothing and the shuffle of his feet across the rug the only hint to his presence.

Then, Rey felt the other side of the bed sink slightly as he sat on the edge. There was a whisper of cloth, and then something brushed against her elbow through the covers. Rey jumped, but then relaxed as she realized it was his hand, searching for her in the dark. He withdrew slightly, and then his hand returned, skimming up from her elbow up to her shoulder, where the edge of the blanket was. He pulled the sheets down slowly, as if to slowly take in the sight of his new bride, even though Rey knew that was impossible in the darkness.

Right. They were married now - of course he would expect to consummate their marriage. It was their wedding night, after all. Rey settled back further into her pillows. She had expected this when she agreed to marry the Marquess, and she wouldn't allow herself fear him - or this. Every married couple in the kingdom did this, and quite a few unmarried ones, too. Nobles married people they didn't know all the time, consummated their marriages to people they had only just met at the altar. Rey could do this, too.

When the comforter slipped past her feet, the Marquess returned to her, his hand finding her ankle to orient himself to her body once more. Slowly, it slid upwards, dragging along the skin of her calf until he encountered the hem of her nightgown. He toyed with it for just a moment, then stopped. Rey could feel his eyes on her, her skin prickling under his gaze as he hesitated, waiting for some sort of cue.

 _He's waiting for permission_ , some part of her realized. "Yes," she whispered, barely audible, because she was his wife, and that was what she was supposed to say.

Her answer apparently satisfied him, because his hand continued its upward journey, taking the edge of the nightgown with it. His other hand hooked under her thigh to encourage her to lift her hips so he could slide the fabric underneath them.

Then, he stopped once more, and Rey nearly rolled her eyes. _What's the matter_ this _time?_ He carefully folded the gathered bottom half of the nightgown and set the neat pile of fabric on her stomach, meticulous and orderly. _All right, very weird._

His hand found one knee, and he gently shifted it outwards before repeating his actions with her second knee. Rey felt him move once more, to kneel between her now-spread knees.

His touch skirted up her inner thigh this time, and Rey stiffened the higher his hand trailed. Finally, his broad palm worked its way between her legs to rest against her sex. A single finger pressed against her to find her dry, and Rey fisted a hand into the top sheet of the mattress.

To her surprise, he withdrew then, his hands leaving her entirely, though he remained kneeling. She heard a small, wet sound - _his mouth_ , she realized - before two of his fingers, slightly moistened, returned between her thighs, dragging up and down her slit.

When those same fingers found the nub at the apex of her sex, pressing against it, Rey jumped slightly. She made a soft noise of surprise, but quickly slapped her hand over her mouth. Her fingers started up a slow rhythm, gentle little circles drawn over her clit.

It...wasn't exactly what Rey had thought it would be like. Sex was only talked about as either an act of extreme pleasure or something wives had to do for their husbands, despite the discomfort it might bring them. She hadn't really understood how it could be described so differently by different people.

This wasn't really like either description. She didn't know how she would describe the feeling slowly building in her - a tingling anticipation, maybe? - but she could only feel how her body reacted, the way her legs shook from something that wasn't entirely anxiety anymore, the way she would give an involuntary jerk every time he pressed just a little too hard against her, how some part of her watched to arch her back to press herself more firmly into his touch.

Once more, he dragged his fingers through her folds, and pulled back, satisfied with the newfound slickness he found there. Rey nearly kicked him - she had been _enjoying_ that; why would he just _stop?_

But then one hand settled onto the bed right beside her waist, leaving a smear of wetness across her hip when his fingers brushed over it. Something that was definitely _not_ his fingers pressed against her then, and Rey took a deep breath before he pushed into her.

It wasn't a _pain,_ per se; no feeling of tearing or ripping or bleeding. It was more of a twinge than anything, a stretch that was more uncomfortable than an agony that would lead to a bed of blood. His other hand pressed into the mattress next to her head once he was fully seated within her.

The rolling of his hips against hers as he pressed into her again and again wasn't unpleasant, either, once she was used to the discomfort of his invasion. Not quite enjoyable, like his fingers pressed against her were, but the fullness left her with a certain satisfaction. Some part of her wanted to stretch her hands out to touch him, half out of curiosity about his body, half out of a desire for contact. He hadn't touched much of her other than her sex, and didn't seem inclined to do so, though she couldn't help but feel like this would be so much _better_ if he would.

If she could drag her nails down his back.

If she could run her fingers through his hair.

If she could slide her palms up his chest, or drop little kisses onto his neck.

Instead, she fisted her hands into the bedding below her.

She could tell when he found his release by the way his hips stuttered up against hers. He exhaled shakily, the breeze of his breath tickling the little hairs sticking to her face. When he pulled out, Rey had to suppress the little shiver that raced down her spine. His hand patted her hip twice, as if he was dismounting a horse instead of his _wife_. He tugged her folded nightgown back over her legs with far less attention this time and reached down to throw the blankets over her carelessly before rolling onto the other side of the bed, pushing himself to the edge and settling onto his side to avoid touching her. His breathing slowed quickly, and he was, for all intents and purposes, asleep in seconds.

 _That_ was when Rey realized what exactly had just happened. To him, this wasn't an act of passion, but a duty to be completed as quickly and efficiently as possible. Perhaps he had touched her to ease his way, but she doubted it was to prevent her pain - and if it was, it was only because her pain would have been _inconvenient_ for him.

To him, she was just one more woman in a long line - not the first, and no doubt not the last. _Her_ feelings didn't matter. Who _cared_ if it was her first marriage, her first time in bed with a man? _He_ certainly didn't - she was only the seventh marriage, and there would be more just like it to come. Why waste the effort on making her comfortable, when he would only have to repeat the process again in a few months?

Rey rolled onto her side, her back facing him as she gritted her teeth. In that moment, she had never hated anyone so much. She had never hated anyone so much in her entire _life_.

It took a long, long time for Rey to fall asleep after that. Her _husband_ (oh, how she hated the word, now) didn't move around in his sleep, but the deep breathing right beside her, even if it was calm and even, did nothing to settle her. It only reminded her of of exactly who was sleeping beside her.

Rey's tears were silent - she had perfected the art of crying quietly many years ago - but she tried her best to pretend that the dampness wasn't soaking into her pillows. She was _Rey_ , and she never cried. She had no reason to, for there was no obstacle she could not overcome.

No reason to cry, no obstacle she was unable to overcome - until today.

Rey wasn't sure exactly when she had fallen asleep. All she knew was that she was awoken by Maz, returning with the candelabra and a "good morning". Rey stared at her unseeingly for a moment, then turned onto her other side.

She was alone in her bed. The only evidence her husband had left of his presence was a slight indent on the pillow and the sticky feeling between her thighs.

Rey wasn't even surprised any more. The only emotion left to her was resignation.

* * *

A/N: Haha so does everyone hate me yet?

For those of you disappointed by the smut - good! It was specifically written to be awkward and unsatisfying and kind of boring. Pretty much Rey's experience through the whole thing, too. Rest assured, for those of you that only showed up for the "M" rating, there will be smut in this that is actually written to be sexy - it'll just take place in later chapters.

In other news, I ran out of non-ridiculous words for genitals so fast when I was writing this. If anyone has a list reference, please link me. I know there are a few out there. I feel like I should also say that, when I can't figure out a scene-appropriate word for something, I'll just substitute in a completely ridiculous word so I can keep writing and just edit it later. If you come across any time I refer to Rey's vajayjay as something insane like a moist garden of womanly pleasure, let me know so I can edit it to be something that better fits the mood. I think I caught them all, but you never know.

I should probably warn you that I probably won't update for more than a week - I think the next chapter might be kind of long, and the combination of working every day and prepping for a convention next weekend is going to take up a lot of my time, so it might be a week and a half, two weeks until you see the next update, depending on how busy I am. That being said, if any of you are going to Fanime and see an Aveline from Dragon Age II running around with a couple of Hawkes and a Merrill (and possibly some others; we're going to try to recruit to our group while we're there), it's probably me - feel free to come up and say hello! I'm friendly, I swear!


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